After establishing presence in 80 countries, Von Wellx Germany’s ‘healthy shoes’ entered the Indian footwear market last year, retailing in 500 stores and major e-commerce platforms here.
Excerpts from an interview with the company’s Director and CEO Ashish Jain:
What is ‘healthy footwear’?
These shoes are designed on Five Zones patented technology, based on the science of reflexology to provide all day soft massage to the feet, stimulating nerve endings and increasing blood circulation. The technology was invented by German Orthopaedic and Naturopath, Dr Walter Mauch. Your feet are the first point in the link of chain (feet, knees, back). If the first link is disturbed, the other two will face problems too. So, it’s important to keep the feet in alignment. Earlier, people walked a lot, often barefoot and on grass, which naturally stimulated all nerve endings in the feet. This increased blood circulation, resulting in healthy feet, knees and back. But now on an average, a person walks less than 3,000 steps a day with footwear on, and on hard surfaces. This destroys feet’s natural connection with the rest of the body.
So, your footwear should resolve all the modern-day problems by stimulating your foot. This is what our footwear does – it provides support and flexibility to feet for correct posture.
What are the special features?
Our shoes have features like special German lasts, long counters, flexibility, positive heel height and anti-microbial treatment that make them the complete healthy shoe that you need.
How do these shoes benefit the body?
Our feet have nerve endings of all the organs of the body. The elevated Five Zones of our footwear provides soft massage all day; stimulates nerve endings in the feet that increases blood and oxygen flow and strengthens muscles; balances muscle tensions, correcting foot and, in turn, body posture. It also acts as a spring absorbing hard surface’s shocks too. Wearing these helps the feet exercise, provide relief to feet, knee and back pain, protects joints and muscles, corrects foot and body posture.
Any specific health conditions these shoes can step in to help?
Our special Diabetic Range helps in preventing the development of diabetic foot. This range has elevations at five zones which provide soft massage to nerve endings (in the foot) of five most critical diabetes organs such as pancreas, spleen, liver, kidneys and intestine. Additionally, it has a wide toe box, minimal stitches (to avoid wounds) and anti-fungal/bacterial lining. We also have shoes for people having Heel Spur, Achilles Tendonitis, Plantar Fasciitis, Bunions, Flat Foot, Arthritis, Gout and other types of foot pains.
What is the design range and price?
We have a wide range for both men and women that can be worn to office, casual get-togethers, parties, ethnic and wedding purposes; for both young and old. The ladies range is between Rs 1,999 and Rs 3,999 and men’s range is between Rs 2,399 and Rs 5,999.